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  1. BillW

    Le Puy route

    Great advice above. Here are a few of other thoughts... Lots of things are closed on Mondays, especially in the smaller villages, so plan to carry food/supplies especially on Sunday and Monday. The Cele Valley Variant is considered by some to be the prettiest section on just about any Camino...
  2. BillW

    Heat waves...walking in August.

    I walked Le Puy starting August 2022, which had several very hot days. As people have said, starting early helps a lot. Usually, on hot days, I tried to be done walking by 1:00PM or so. Generally, the heat didn't worry/bother me too much, but there was one day when I walking from...
  3. BillW

    Camino Options

    On the Le Puy route, I think you'll find that Le Puy to Cahors has the most walkers (not the last stages near SJPDP). It's beautiful and quite popular with the French. But "busy" on Le Puy route is nothing compared to the Frances route. I found all the routes very safe, but I'm a man, so I'm not...
  4. BillW

    Rest Days on the Podiensis

    Yes, it looks like schedule has changed. You may want yo consider cab. If you take train, be aware the station is several kilometers from the town so you would have to walk into town.
  5. BillW

    Rest Days on the Podiensis

    If you want to do some sight seeing on your rest day (and not just rest), then I'd suggest Figeac. A short bus ride will take you to Rocamadour which is a very cool place. Also Figeac itself has all the services you need like laundry, restaurants, etc.. Enjoy!
  6. BillW

    Le Puy-en-Velay to St. Privat d’Allier in one day?

    I walked from Le Puy all the way to St Privat last August. It's a beautiful walk, and I didn't think it was too hard. I'd do it again, if I ever have the chance. FWIW... I did a lot of training walks to get ready for my Camino, but I live in a flat area (southern Michigan, USA), so I did...
  7. BillW

    Nasbinals - Hotel La Route d’Argent bait and switch

    Sorry to hear about this, I can understand your frustration. I'm also glad to hear things worked out at the other hotel (I find things often work out fine in the long run on the Camino). For others that are considering staying at Hotel La Route d’Argent, I stayed there in August 2022, and had...
  8. BillW

    Reservations - how far in advance

    I left August 17 last year, and I booked my entire Le Puy to SJDPP about one month ahead of time. (Like your friends, I prefer a single room, since I'm a snorer.). I'm going again this fall with two of my sisters (so we would prefer three rooms). I was worried about getting us all into the...
  9. BillW

    Reserving accommodation

    Brodie... I did Le Puy last year. I spoke no French, so like you, I used email to reach out to lodgings. I found nearly all responded, but some took a few days or even as long as a week. In a few cases, I checked to see if their phone number was on WhatsApp, and tried reaching them that way...
  10. BillW

    Planes and Trains in Lyon

    The tram is pretty easy to find in the Lyon airport. Just follow the signs. It's called "Rohnexpress." From Lyon you can take a train to Le Puy. My notes says you have to transfer in Etienne. (It's a small station so easy to find the connection.) I spent one night in Lyon and one night in...
  11. BillW

    Le Puy to Santiago - what time of year

    August is the busiest month, since that's vacation month for most French residents. Even so, it's a lot less busy than the Camino Frances. That said, I think booking during that timeframe is necessary. I snore, and so tried to get private rooms, so I booked several weeks in advance. I don't...
  12. BillW

    Going guideless on the Le Puy?

    FWIW... The advent of GPS apps has made the turn-by-turn instructions in guidebooks pretty obsolete. I carried Miam Do Do and Cicerone books, but never used them for wayfinding. I just used the signs and a mapping app. Where I found guides most useful was to plan out my next day. It's nice...
  13. BillW

    Le Puy to Santiago - what time of year

    I left from Le Puy August 17, 2022. Arrived Santiago October 23. There were a handful of hot days in August that were tough, but overall the weather was great. By the time I finished in Santiago it was rainy and cool. It's sort of a balancing act. Leave Le Puy earlier, and you will...
  14. BillW

    Accommodation Abbaye de Sainte-Foy Conques

    Great! Enjoy. FWIW... there is a tough climb out of Conque when you leave but a great view of the city when you reach the top. There is also a bell you can ring when you make it there, try to find it. I missed that.
  15. BillW

    Accommodation Abbaye de Sainte-Foy Conques

    I emailed on August 2 and got a response August 3. The response asked for a deposit via paypal. Looks like I made the deposit on August 3 and got an email confirmation on August 4. Good luck!
  16. BillW

    Accommodation Abbaye de Sainte-Foy Conques

    I stayed here, and it is truly memorable. I booked ahead several weeks. The pilgrim service after dinner was lovely, and the Priest had pilgrims read the scripture in different languages. I read in English, a man from Germany in German and of course someone from France in French. Standing...
  17. BillW

    Le Puy to Conques - May 6, 2023 start

    I loved this stage, and don't recall it being scary at all. The views as you climb up out of Monistrol d'Allier are wonderful. On the way up, you pass Chapelle Sainte-Madeleine which is an ancient church built into a cave in the mountain. I was lucky enough to arrive right when a small prayer...
  18. BillW

    4 most beautiful days on Podiensis

    I loved this portion of the trail. The walk to Ostabat-Asme is especially beautiful. Suggested tweaks to your stops... Aroue is really small and only has one gite, as I recall. A wonderful alternative is after arriving in Aroue, catch a bus or cab to Saint-Palais. It's about 15 minutes away...
  19. BillW

    4 most beautiful days on Podiensis

    I agree with the recommended sections. All beautiful. But with regards to giving your wife a feel for walking the Camino... You might know this, but this route is a bit different than the Frances. Biggest differences: 1) Not nearly as many people walk this route, and almost everyone speaks...
  20. BillW

    Miam Miam Dodo for Camino Le Puy

    If you want to walk one of the variants, you'll need to purchase an extra book. I strongly recommend Cele Valley. Good luck!

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